Injury Report: July 8: Mike Trout Arrives, Jose Reyes Hits DL & More

Let’s take a look at this morning’s injury news and notes:

Peter Bourjos – Los Angeles Angels – His injury is newsworthy, but in this situation it’s not the biggest news. According to Daren Smith of milb.com (click here for the article), “Trout was promoted after Angels center fielder Peter Bourjos strained his right hamstring while rounding second base on an eighth-inning double.” Trout is one of the premier prospects in the game and certainly didn’t come up to sit on the bench. At Double-A he was hitting .324 with 9 HR, 27 RBI, 69 R and 28 SB. He is a must add in all formats for his potential alone. There’s obviously a chance he doesn’t stick, given how crowded the teams outfield is, but time will tell. At this point in the season, finding someone with his upside on the waiver wire is not easy, so don’t miss the opportunity.

Jose Reyes – New York Mets – According to Michael Baron of Mets Blog (click here for the post), “The Mets have placed Jose Reyes on the 15 day disabled list with a strained left hamstring, retroactive to July 3.” That’s not really the surprising news, however. Baron also posts a tweet, citing ESPN Deportes, which says doctors have instructed Reyes to sit for three weeks. It’s a blow to the Mets MVP candidate, but you have to think that there’s a small part of Mets fans who believe that the injury could lower Reyes’ demands as a free agent, making it more likely he stays with the team. From a fantasy perspective, however, do we care? Of course not! Hopefully he’ll be able to return soon.

Chris Young – Arizona Diamondbacks – According to Nick Piecoro (via Twitter), “Young says he has ligament strain in left thumb. Hopes to get through these 4 games & give it the rest it needs during All-Star break.” Young entered play Thursday hitting .255 with 16 HR, 47 RBI, 55 R and 11 SB, so the injury doesn’t appear to be having a major impact on his performance. There is no reason to shy away, despite this news. His strikeouts are actually down this season (21.4%), and with improved luck (.276 BABIP), his numbers could be really impressive. Of course, he is apparently swinging for the fences (52.6% fly ball rate) and has benefitted from a 21.1% HR/FB. Regardless, there’s no reason to shy away.

Scott Baker – Minnesota Twins – Rhett Bollinger (via Twitter) is reporting that, “Baker’s MRI showed a mild flexor muscle strain and he’ll miss his next start before being reevaluated.” It certainly appears like the Twins dodged a bullet here and it is possible that he only ends up missing one start (depending on how they setup the rotation coming out of the All-Star Break). He has proven to be a viable option in all formats, so just sit tight and see how things play out for now.

Charlie Blackmon – Colorado Rockies – According to Troy Renck (via Twitter), “Blackmon broke metatarsal might require surgery. Will fly to Denver for evaluation”. In other words, he has a broken bone in his foot (which he sustained sliding into third base). We’ll have to see where the Rockies ultimately decide to turn, though Ty Wigginton replaced him in the outfield yesterday. With Ian Stewart back in the Majors, it is conceivable that he sees the bulk of the playing time.

Troy Tulowitzki – Colorado Rockies – In a separate tweet, Renck is reporting that, “Tulo hit in cage and did agility work. Will do sprints tomorrow and infield work”. He’s working towards a return, though he clearly is still at least another day away for returning. There’s a chance he returns over the weekend, but if there is any doubt, don’t be surprised to see him shot down for the weekend.

Shin-Soo Choo – Cleveland Indians – Paul Hoynes of the Cleveland Plain Dealer (click here for the article) is reporting that, “Outfielder Shin-Soo Choo had the cast removed from his broken left thumb Wednesday. Choo is telling friends he could be playing by the second week in August.” After the amazing recovery of Albert Pujols we certainly can’t count anything out, but this does seem a bit ambitious (he was supposed to be out 8-10 weeks). Still, with his talent, all you can do is stash him on your bench and hope his estimate becomes reality.

Ivan Rodriguez – Washington Nationals – According to Mark Zuckerman (via Twitter), “Looks like Pudge has been scratched from #Nats lineup. Ramos will start behind plate.” Rodriguez is suffering from a strained oblique, so a trip to the DL certainly is possible. He has been a low-end option to begin with, as the team has been transitioning to Ramos behind the plate.

Austin Jackson – Detroit Tigers - According to the team’s official Twitter feed, “Austin Jackson left tonight’s game with left wrist soreness.” Consider him day-to-day, for now, and monitor the pregame lineup. With the All-Star Break fast approaching, you never know how the team will handle him.

Wade Davis – Tampa Bay Rays – Bill Chastain of mlb.com (click here for the article) is reporting that, “Wade Davis was put on the 15-day disabled list with a right forearm strain on Thursday, and right-hander Brandon Gomes was recalled from Triple-A Durham.” Andy Sonnanstine and Alex Cobb are the likely replacements in the rotation, so if you are in an AL-only format either could be worth a flier.

Josh Willingham – Oakland Athletics – He came off the DL to go 1-4 while hitting cleanup. If you need power in a five-outfielder format, he’s certainly worth the gamble.

Lonnie Chisenhall – Cleveland Indians – According to the team’s Twitter feed, “Lonnie Chisenhall removed from the game in the bottom of the 2nd inning after being hit in the facial area by a pitch from Villanueva”. Consider him day-to-day for now, but don’t be surprised if he sits through the All-Star Break.